This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
Just get started. Stop waiting for the perfect scenario and timing.
Thanks to my parents, they had me sit down with a financial advisor at 14 to set up a ROTH IRA and start investing. Did I invest seriously? No, but I did consistently invest throughout the years – leading to helping me fund my first car, paying college bills, and building an investment nest egg that I finally started to leave the h*ll alone once I realized the value of the account.
Most People Start Investing At 29
Most people don’t start investing at 14, but that’s okay. Did you know that if you invest $500 a month as a 25-year-old for 40 years at an average of 7%, you will have over a million dollars saved? And if you don’t start in your 20s, that’s okay, too. You will need to save more funds, but there is always hope.
Financial Ignorance Is Rampant
The lot of us don’t know what we’re doing with our money. We’re failing forward – hoping for the best and living in the moment. Every now and then, we think about our future selves, but we rarely plan for it.
The Key Is Discipline
The key to building wealth is to strongly consider your future self. The more you consider your future self, which is another phrase for considering your long-term goals, the better off you’ll be in the long run financially.
Stay Open
I had no clue what I was doing when I was 14 years old, but I was open-minded and always enjoyed saving money. You don’t have to know what you’re doing to build wealth; you only need to be consistent and start. And as we all know, the sooner you start, the better off you’ll be.
Tips To Start
Don’t know where to start? Here are a few ideas to kickstart you into investing:
Read a basic or beginner-level book or article on investing.
Get a trustworthy mentor or chat with a friend you know is good with money.
Take a class on investing.
Attend an investor conference.
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Am I a financial expert? By no means, but I’ve learned that you can’t fail financially if you consistently invest. And don’t get emotional about it. If you lose money, let it go. It will usually come back.
A friend told me recently he stopped investing because he was losing money. Now he only saves. I told him that’s the worst thing he can do with his money and that he is now essentially burning his money. Get used to losing money because you always end up winning again.
Will The Market Go Back Up? I Don’t Know & I Don’t Care. Are You An Emotional Investor?
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.